Golden Cage
by Isys Luna Skeeter
Summary: Harry played with his wristband that he was forced to use since he could remember. The words in there were so clear. So perfectly aligned. Every single movement was elegant and beautiful. Harry loved it. Still he understood the importance of keeping it hidden. Ron had told him about soulmate first words to you. It just so happens that these two words were Harry's.


**Fandom:** Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

 **Relationship:** Harry Potter/Voldemort

 **Characters:** Harry Potter, Voldemort (Harry Potter)

 **Additional Tags:** Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Alternate Universe - Soulmates

 **Language:** English

 **N** **er** **words in this chapter:** 1,559

* * *

"Talking"

 _Dream/Memory_

 _Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

As soon as Tom understood that the tattooed words on his chest meant soulwords he knew there was something wrong.

 _Oh! It's nice to meet you._

The words themselves. The messy writing. The _Oh!_ as if that was the last thought in the other's mind. Yet, he had to be subjective. He shouldn't think too much on it.

By the age of 20 Tom was certain his soulmate would've be a male. That messy writing… it had to be a boy.

Just when Voldemort had given up looking, Quirinus was presented to a young boy. Voldemort had only half the mind listening. And then the boy was pleasantly surprised as he said the words. Voldemort would've frozen if it was his body. He concentrated in Quirinus' mind until he found the name of the child.

 **–GC–**

Harry played with his wristband that he was forced to use since he could remember. The words in there were so clear. So perfectly aligned. Every single movement was elegant and beautiful. Harry loved it. Still he understood the importance of keeping it hidden. Ron had told him about soulmate first words to you. It just so happens that these two words were Harry's.

Harry quickly became an assiduous visitor to Professor Quirrell's office. For some reason the man had taken into himself to tutor him about the Wizardry Community and Customs.

"May I see it?"

Harry blushed at realizing he meant the tattoo. Finally, he allowed it and showed it.

"Do you know what they mean?" He wondered, uncertain.

"Yes, I do. I also know that your Mate has already accidentally said those same words to you."

"Accidentally?"

"Even if you are soulwords with someone you never know until they first speak to you. Still, it means that the pairing can never hurt each other willingly. Your Mate told you those two words when you were a baby and he went to kill you."

Harry gaped.

"Voldemort?" He blushed at realizing he said it out loud. "I'm sorry, I forget I'm not supposed to say his name."

"You are his Mate. You should say it as many times as you like."

"Bu… he killed my parents. Tried to kill me. He… is the reason I'm stuck at Muggles who hate magic and swore to stump it out of me as soon as I first step foot into their perfect little house!" Harry practically shouted the last part.

The glass professor Quirrell was holding broke and Harry wondered which of them had done it.

"We'll start with the family first." The professor agreed with a strained with anger voice. "We'll move up from there."

Harry nodded lowering his head and hiding his tattoo again.

 **–GC–**

Harry gaped as he found out that Professor Quirrell had been hiding Voldemort behind his head all school year long. Voldemort who now had a body again. Voldemort who was right now at 4 Privet Drive entering pass Harry and grabbing his wand on the way.

"What are you…?"

"What I should've done the moment you mentioned the neglect and abuse." Voldemort snarled. "Go pack your bag, Harry. I may will have to compensate you for your parents. Yet, I won't even stop to think twice about hurting these Muggles and, after our conversations of how they treated you, don't you even dare to try and stop me."

Harry sighed. He went upstairs and put every little belonging he had over the bed. When the third body hit the ground - Harry jumping in fear at each one - Voldemort came for him.

"My… trunk is in my cupboard under the stairs." Voldemort nodded and went out to get it. "Won't policemen… Aurors be notified of the Dark Magic use?"

"Not just yet." Voldemort argued and when everything was done he pulled Harry close, holding the trunk and owl cage with the other hand. "Take a deep breath." Just as Harry was forcing himself to relax, the Dark Lord pointed to the ceiling. "Mosmorde."

And then Harry felt himself being travelled through a tight tube.

 **–GC–**

Voldemort looked at his young Mate that the Dark Healers were looking over. The amount of neglect he'd suffered at the Muggles had been too much. At least Voldemort had lived in the war so food was scarce… Harry's relatives hadn't had that excuse.

 **–GC–**

Harry watched Voldemort sitting by his side as the doctors… healers left the room.

"What made you realize it was me?"

"Your introduction to Quirinus." Voldemort replied. "Just like you have the Death Curse on you, I have a pleasantry."

"Must be nice."

"I always thought that your _'Oh!'_ meant a negative reaction. Instead you were happily surprised. I spent 5 decades thinking you'd just realised I was your Mate and you had hated me."

"Oh!" Voldemort mock-glared at Harry, who frowned only to then blush. "I'm sorry, I…"

"I'm not mad. I'd tell you if I'll ever be mad at you."

Harry nodded embarrassed.

"Wha… what will happen now?"

"Now I'll take care of you as I should've done a decade ago. I'll keep you safe. I'll tutor you. I'll get you everything you may need."

"What about mating?"

"I'll wait for you to be ready. I don't feel a physical pull, you know? It'll only start once you yourself enter into the puberty age."

Harry nodded. He had a Mate. Someone who wanted him. Who cared for him.

"I want to stay neutral."

"And why's that?"

"I was told _'You're the Boy Who Lived, now be our hero against the You Know Who_ '."

Voldemort hummed and Harry glanced back uncertain.

"I'll give you the ability of the choice. Actually, I'd prefer if you don't fight. This way I can keep you safe and protected."

Harry smiled, closing his eyes.

"As long as you don't lock me in a tower. I've been locked all my life."

"I'll make certain your golden cage is big enough." Harry opened his eyes to glare at Voldemort only to realize the other was only teasing. "I won't lock you up."

Harry nodded and closed his eyes again.

"What do you want from me in return?"

"For you to don't refuse me. For you to accept my orders when I do apply them and understand that it's for you that I make them. For you to work on your studies and for you to never look to anyone else as you should look at me."

"I'll do my best." Harry agreed tiredly.

He felt Voldemort kiss his forehead.

"You should sleep. I'll send a house elf up with food later. The healers advised against heavy movements in the next couple of days."

Harry hummed but didn't hear anything else as his mind drifted off.

 **–GC–**

Albus shook the Minister's hand with a restrained look. Since the Wizard had found his husband he had quickly regained power and before Albus could do anything the Dark Lord had won the war. Albus had had two choices: accept it or get fired and sent away from the children. Behind the Minister - between two Death Eaters - was none other but Harry Potter. The boy had grown to be a beautiful young man.

"Eyes up here." Voldemort snarled when he realized Albus' attention had drifted to his husband. "I'm the one you should be eerily about. Harry's Grey. By his own choice, he'll never fight by either side of the war."

Albus sighed and back-stepped, releasing Voldemort's powerful handshake.

"A simple offer of fake love and fake freewill?" He retorted sadly.

Really, was that all it took for Harry?

"I never offered love and I never offered freedom. I took him from the abusive Muggles and offered a golden cage." Voldemort argued amused. "Actually, I'll tell you what made Harry accept me so easily."

Albus saw how Voldemort signalled his husband who approached and showed his wrist. His Soulmate first words. The Killing Curse.

"Harry's…"

Voldemort smirked back and then smiled calmly down at Harry who had looked up at him.

"Can I head back home? I want to have time to prepare your congratulations banquet."

"Don't overdo it." Voldemort returned and Harry huffed but nodded. "Go on then."

To Albus' mortification Harry tilted himself up and kissed his parents' killer before turning around and going to the Lestranges with a huge smile.

"Time to go bake!" He claimed eagerly.

Then, Albus realized that Voldemort was following Harry's retreat with a fond smile. Albus smiled and he knew - from Voldemort's frown once he noticed Albus' smile - that the Dark Lord had no idea just how much good Harry was on him. Maybe the world wasn't doomed after all.

 **The End!**


End file.
